Marin Snapshot: County public works chief Beaumont calls it a career

BOB BEAUMONT has held a variety of jobs over the years, starting out as a busboy in his parents' coffee shop in Coos Bay, Ore., and making particle boards at the nearby Georgia-Pacific lumber mill.

He mixed it up as a bartender at a Beverly Hills watering hole for a time, serving luminaries including George C. Scott, who always wanted two double vodka martinis with lunch. Stirred. Straight up. No ice.

But 64-year-old Beaumont has enjoyed no job more than his 31-year career at the Marin Civic Center, where he'll retire this month from his $197,000 post as public works director.

Beaumont, an easygoing official with a love for language, considered majoring in English at Oregon State University but had second thoughts when his father slapped a copy of the Los Angeles Times on the dining room table and displayed three pages of ads for engineers.

"He then invited me to find any ads for English majors," Beaumont said. "I wound up studying engineering and loved it, but I've always held a fondness for the written word and have delighted in opportunities to share a turn of phrase."

Q: What's the most interesting or unusual challenge you encountered during your county career?

A: The floods of 2005-06. In the process of addressing the damage from the New Year's Eve flood, we got hit with yet more flooding in April. We undertook repairs to a number of the storm damage sites at the same time as a major road resurfacing program was under way ... We went through six months of fury, tenacity and grit — and, ultimately, glory.

Q: What's the toughest part of being in charge of 226 employees and a $43 million budget?

A: There's no down time. It's a 24/7 job, and there's always something pressing for attention. With cellphones and email, you can't unplug. Fortunately, the work is meaningful and deeply rewarding.

A: My wife, Annie, is from southwest France (which) has become like a second home and we're planning to spend a couple of months there this year. We love to travel and are planning trips to Southeast Asia and South America.